The New Blooms
by Nimash
Summary: Sequel to The Twin Flowers. With a new year comes Rose and Lilly's cousin, Reese, a boy from her past, and a new host. With them comes new loves, secrets, troubles, triumphs, and friendships. Chapter 2:"...Why do I have a feeling it's socks?"
1. Chapter 1

**A quick word of caution before we begin:**

**This a _sequel_ to my previous story, The Twin Flowers. I am not the type of author who will go over every single character and a summary of the plot of the last story, so I suggest you read it before reading this one.**

**Oh, and before I begin, to all those who anxiously awaited this story, who kept with me through all those chapters and development:**

**This one's for you. :)

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Chapter 1

And So They Met Our Cousin

"Where are they?" Rose asked impatiently, looking around the airport, trying to spot a certain group of people.

Their mother smiled fondly, soothing, "Patience is a virtue, Rose."

"Well then I'm not virtuous! Where are they?"

Lilly smiled over to her twin, telling her, "They'll be here any minute. Reese's plane still hasn't landed, anyway."

The two listened as their father whispered something in their mother's ear that sounded suspiciously like, "I told you he's a bad influence."

"Honey," their mother shook her head lovingly, not bothering to whisper, "How many times do I have to tell you? I'm sure Hikaru is a very nice boy."

Their father only grumbled, turning to look away and try to spot either Reese or his daughters' friends, knowing that he was going to lose this battle, since he was easily out numbered. If only he had had two boys…

"Hello! A pleasure to see you again, Mr. and Mrs. Gengara," Tamaki called out, the others following behind him.

Mr. Gengara smiled, wondering why in the world his daughter couldn't fall in love with someone like that for a change. Clean, presentable, and never in trouble. Although, when he thought about it, there were quite a few instances when his own daughters were in trouble with some type of authority…

"Hi Lilly," Kaoru grinned, wrapping his arms around her shoulders and giving her a small side squeeze, wary of her parents. "Hello Mr. Robert, Mrs. Sakura."

"Oh, how many times do I have to tell you," Mrs. Gengara laughed, "Call me Sakura; otherwise, I sound so old!"

"Just trying to be respectful."

Their father smiled, happy with Kaoru. He had even allowed him to call them by their first names. Sure, he was a bit of a prankster, but he was also intelligent and respectful, the supposed "mature" twin.

"Hikaru!" Rose threw her arms around the said boy's neck in a hug, smiling. Before he could spin her around, an identical smile on his face, and exclaim that he hadn't even heard from her for an entire two days (you will not believe how many texts he sent her before she finally told him she was busy preparing for her cousin's arrival) Mr. Gengara cleared his throat loudly, Hikaru's eyes immediately growing wide, Rose detaching herself, an awkwardness filling the air.

"Mr. Gengara." Hikaru attempted to make a good impression, sticking out his hand for the man to shake. He tried his best not to wince as Rose's father squeezed a lot harder than necessary, probably in an attempt to break his hand.

The man eyed him critically, down to the very last detail, "I see you're still dying your hair black," he commented dryly, his tone hard.

Hikaru nodded, grinding his teeth at the pain. Rose elbowed her father, muttering, "Don't crumble his hand into dust, Dad." The man let go, but continued to stare harshly at Hikaru, who slowly wiggled his fingers to make sure nothing was broken.

After a few more greetings were done, Lilly told the group, "Reese wants to try and see if you guys can win one of her games. She wants you to find her without our help."

Their mother laughed, asking, "Does she still do that?" Then, sensing her husband's mutual acceptance and irritation of Hikaru, she added, leading him away, "We'll wait back at the car."

Haruhi raised a brow. "But we don't even know what she looks like."

"Then we will try to find the girl who looks the most like Rose and Lilly!" Tamaki decided, feeling quite pleased at his own intelligence.

"Eh, that won't work," Rose piped in.

Lilly elaborated, "Didn't you notice that our parents look nothing like us? Our family is from all around the world; so good luck with that theory."

That was true. Their father was tall and lean, with short, messy brown hair and light brown eyes. Their mother, on the other hand, was short and curvy with long black hair and gray eyes.

The Hitachiin Twins whined, "Can't you give us a hint?"

"That would defeat the purpose of the game," Rose teased, watching as a crowd of people began to make their way through. "Look, she should be somewhere in that crowd."

"Let's go, Takashi!" Hunny cheered, leading the way into the crowd, hopping onto Mori's shoulders. The others followed after, besides Kyouya and Haruhi, who waited with the Gengara Twins. After only a few minutes, the game was becoming increasingly frustrating, the crowd too large, with no one who even resembled a girl in her junior year of high school.

Haruhi muttered, "This cousin of yours has a strange definition of fun."

"Nah, she likes to practice her skills," Lilly explained, quickly adding, "She's probably watching from somewhere right now, actually."

Kyouya asked, not looking up from his notes, "Does she usually do things like this?"

"Actually, this is pretty subtle for her," Rose commented, laughing as Hikaru stomped over and pouted, sulking next to her, Kaoru following after. Then came Hunny and Mori, and finally, Tamaki.

The blond declared dramatically, quite a few people staring, "Oh, woe is me! I'm sorry, Rose and Lilly, but it appears that your cousin was never on that flight!"

"What do you mean? We saw her in the crowd just a minute ago."

Tamaki stared back at them blankly. Finally, he managed to utter unintelligibly, "Huh?"

"You mates looking for someone?" The group turned at the voice dripping with an Australian accent, to see a fairly short boy around their age, with blue eyes and hair covered by a baseball cap, along with a heavy black jacket, which was unusual for this time of year.

Hunny asked him, "How did you know?"

"Pretty hard to ignore the blond mate who's yelling for all the world to hear. Anyway, what does he or she look like?"

"You would know," Rose and Lilly purred, walking towards the Australian boy, "Considering you _are_ her."

The Host Club stared as the boy smirked, then commented, his voice suddenly sounding much more feminine and laced with an English accent, "My, my. You two have gotten good at this game. And just look at how tall you are! You're as tall as me now and I'm a year older, too. Well, isn't that pathetic?"

Without another word, Reese took off the hat, brushing through her hair and revealing short, blond curls that came to her shoulders, her bangs parted to the left. She also took off her jacket, revealing a short, curvy figure. "Too bad I didn't get the chance to put in contacts," she told them, pulling on her t-shirt to adjust it, "I'm sure that would've thrown you off. But of course that idiotic flight attendant wouldn't let me do anything!" She looked up at the gaping Host Club (except for Mori and Kyouya), and smirked, raising a brow and asking Rose and Lilly, "So this is the infamous Host Club I've heard so much about? Not very impressive, if you ask me."

"I assure you, my dear," Tamaki cooed, recovering and taking Reese's hand to kiss it, "That the Host Club is forever at your service."

"That's not very comforting." Tamaki froze, letting go of Reese's hand, and all four twins began to chuckle. "Especially considering that you were never even considerate enough to ask what I looked like before I came. That would've been helpful and have given you a bit of a clue. Although, grant it, my disguise would obviously throw you off, simply because it is pure genius. I mean, you call yourself a father and you don't even care what your 'daughter's' cousin looks like? What kind of parental figure are you?"

Tamaki retreated to his emo corner, causing Reese to roll her eyes. "Oh dear, it would seem I've struck a nerve. What a baby." She turned to look at the others, clicking her tongue. "He's also a bit of an attention hog. But as I've been informed by my trusted sources, who in most cases really shouldn't be trusted," her gaze flickered over to Rose and Lilly, then quickly back to the rest of the group, "That that's just part of his personality. I assume his name is Tamaki, correct? In my grade?" Even though no one really said anything, Reese quickly continued after only a second, "Now then, let's see if I can't guess who all of you are."

She turned towards Hikaru and Kaoru, who had sneaked over to their girlfriends and were now holding their hands. "Ah, yes, the infamous Hitachiin Twins. I see that Hikaru has indeed dyed his hair. Nice, it suits you from what I've been told." She added, with an impish wink, "I'll be sure to pass along some tricks of the trade to you much as I have with Rose and Lilly. Moving on, now."

Her gaze shifted to the commoner, and a small grin pulled at her lips. She began, "Ah, yes, the cross-dresser from the middle-class. Charming to meet you. A fan of disguises as well, considering you were a 'boy' for so long. Yes, we'll have much to discuss later."

"And I assume these two are Hunny and Mori, the college boys," she added, her eyes landing on the tall, silent boy and the short, cheery one. "Takashi seems shorter than I would have imagined, and I swear that Mitskuni is far taller than I would've ever guessed." This seemed to please Hunny, and he beamed, thinking back to when he had measured himself this morning to find he had grown at least an inch near the end of his senior year. Mori remained silent.

"Don't forget Usachan!" Hunny chirped, holding up his precious pink bunny, Reese smiling.

She shook Usachan's hand, causing Hunny to giggle, and cooed, "Of course! How could I not remember quite possibly the most important member of all! I'll have to make it up to you and Usachan with cake as soon as I can."

"Very impressive, Mrs. Yoshida," Kyouya complimented, pushing his glasses up as they caught a glint. "You managed to match us all using the descriptions that Rose and Lilly must have given you."

Reese's face was now blank, a small smirk on her lips. "Almost all of you. And since you know my last name, and therefore probably know that my father is Rose and Lilly's mother's brother, I would say that you are the Shadow King himself, Kyouya Ootori. The 'unreadable' one filled with such evils that no human has ever dared to think of, with a black heart that knows only statistics, facts, and strategies. Although now that I've seen you in person, you're much easier to read that what Rose and Lilly say."

"Really?" Kyouya asked, irritated at her comment, but hiding it expertly.

"Yes. Even though you act cool and calculated, you are just as baffled as everyone else about my behavior and personality. You are also annoyed by the fact that I claim to be able to know what you're feeling, because you pride yourself on being unpredictable. Oh, but don't feel bad, I can read just about anybody, including Mori. I do believe he's thinking about what he had for lunch before he came, am I right?"

Mori's eyes widened, as Hikaru and Kaoru sniggered, trying to hide their disbelief, "Really, Mori? Is that all you ever think about?"

Kyouya grinded his teeth, but politely smiled at Reese, complimenting, "That's quite a talent you have."

"Oooh, now you're even more irritated because my claim is true, and I can read you like an open book. Oh, and please drop the polite act, it's getting on my nerves. I want to receive your respect because I earned it, not because you are forcing it simply to leave a good impression on me." She spun around on her heel, waving her hand as if to dismiss the whole group. "But enough of that. It's nearly time for dinner, and I still don't have my luggage and need to unpack, and such. I would say it was a pleasure meeting you all, but," she threw a small glare over her shoulder, spinning her head so her eyes could catch Kyouya's, "I'm afraid Mr. Ootori ruined it with his foul mood."

And she continued on her way, never looking back once.

Tamaki had finally snapped out of his depression, yipping, "Wow! She could tell how Kyouya felt! And what Mori was thinking! How amazing! She must be, like, a super secret spy or something!" Apparently, he had forgotten her cold treatment of him, as he spouted off more and more compliments, Kyouya only grinding his teeth and trying to keep his calm. This girl really got on his nerves. Bad enough she could read him. But she didn't need to rub it in his face.

"We better get going," Lilly told them, giving Kaoru a peck on the cheek. "See you all in a couple of days!" She told them, Rose following her lead, both of them jogging after their cousin and waving.

Haruhi muttered, "Reese seems…interesting…"

"I like her!" Hunny chirped. "We're going to have lots of fun eating cake together!"

"Mhmm."

The twins added in unison, "It'll be fun to watch her get on Kyouya's nerves." They turned to the Shadow King, asking with an impish tone, "Right, Kyouya?"

He said nothing, instead standing up from the ledge he was sitting on and muttering, "We should all head home now. See you all soon." With that he briskly walked past the group, heading towards his car, thinking all the while, _I hate that girl.

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_**Disclaimer: I only own Reese, Rose, Lilly, and their parents.**

**It's good to be back with this story. I got the whole plot all worked out in my head, so I now just have to focus on the individual pieces.**

**Before I go any further, a lot of you are probably thinking: "Wait... what? These guys have one heck of a screwy family tree!"**

**Yes, yes they do. Allow me to attempt to explain a little. We have Rose and Lilly's dad, Mr. Robert Gengara, who is Japanese/Italian/Irish/American. Their mother, Mrs. Sakura Yoshida, is Japanese/Korean. Reese's (who is their cousin) dad is Japanese/Korean and Sakura's older brother, married Reese's mom, who is British. Reese's parents will be revealed later. But yes, it's mainly on Rose and Lilly's dad's side that things get confusing.**

**REESE IS NOT A MARY-SUE. Just getting that out right now. Yes, she can read Kyouya, but from what you can tell she seems eccentric and a bit of a bragger. We've just scratched the surface with her character in this chapter, and I assure you there is much more to her than just that.**

**Warning you now, more ocs come later.**

**I feel proud of this chapter. :) I really, really do.  
**

**As always, read and enjoy!  
**


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

That Song is Copyrighted

To: Rose

From: Hikaru

Message: So, about your cousin…

To: Hikaru

From: Rose

Message: Isn't she awesome?

To: Rose

From: Hikaru

Message: …She's a little… strange…

To: Hikaru

From: Rose

Message: You're one to talk.

To: Rose

From: Hikaru

Message: I'm hurt, Rose. I really, really am. D:

To: Hikaru

From: Rose

Message: Good, it means I'm doing my job.

To: Rose

From: Hikaru

Message: …I'll pretend I didn't hear that…Anyway, does your dad still hate me?

To: Hikaru

From: Rose

Message: Hate is a strong word…

To: Rose

From: Hikaru

Message: So he basically wants to send me on the next flight to Antarctica?

To: Hikaru

From: Rose

Message: Yeah, pretty much. But he's still letting me spend your birthday with you! And I got you the perfect gift!

To: Rose

From: Hikaru

Message: …Why do I have a feeling it's socks?

To: Hikaru

From: Rose

Message: You'll just have to wait and see. ;)

To: Rose

From: Hikaru

Message: Fine, but I'm not happy about it.

To: Hikaru

From: Rose

Message: I gotta go help Reese unpack. Good night and don't let the bed bugs bite!

To: Rose

From: Hikaru

Message: Right, because that's my job ;)

To: Hikaru

From: Rose

Message: …Why I ever fell in love with an idiot like you remains a mystery…

* * *

Reese asked, tugging at her skirt while the others continued to set up, "Are you sure they won't mind my intrusion? My addition to the guest list _is_ a bit short notice…"

"Are you kidding?" Rose scoffed, standing on a ladder and hanging up a banner with Lilly, "They would be sorry if you didn't show up!"

"Besides, you _need_ to hang out with the Host Club, right?" Lilly asked, giving Reese a pointed look.

Reese smiled knowingly, replying, "No, my dear. It would be within my best interests to be around you all. Now I do believe Hikaru and Kaoru are already coming up the drive."

Kyouya raised a brow, asking coolly, "And how do you know that?"

"Psychic powers. Now I suggest we hide."

"Yes!" Tamaki chirped, his hand possessively around Haruhi's shoulder, "Remember the plan everyone!"

Sure enough, the doorbell chimed, and Rose and Lilly began the walk over, the others making a large ruckus just trying to find a good hiding spot. After sending them a glare, they all shut up, trying to remain still.

Hikaru stood with his hands in his pockets, Kaoru leaning on his shoulder. "So, no parents home?" they asked in unison, seductive smirks in place.

Rose rolled her eyes, stepping aside to let them in, Lilly following her lead, replying, "So, what do you guys want to do before the dinner?"

Kaoru slid his arm around her, pulling her closer to him, whispering in her ear, "I can hear Tamaki giggling, I know this is a surprise party."

Lilly whispered back, throwing a quick glance at Hikaru as he talked animatedly to Rose, who laughed here and there at the different faces he was making, "Yeah, but Hikaru hasn't caught on, so just act surprised."

"Aw, that's no fun."

"Well neither is a spoil sport."

Lilly opened the door to the dining room, Rose and her saying the cue simultaneously, "Well I guess we could make some snacks and-"

"Surprise!"

Everyone popped out of their hiding places, Hunny and Tamaki throwing a handful of confetti into the air for extra effect, the lights being switched on to reveal the decorations and party food.

"Hah! I knew it was a surprise party!" Hikaru looked quite smug at his being right, to which Rose rolled her eyes, muttering something along the lines of a sarcastic "sure you did."

Hunny chirped, "And we made the cake all together!"

Before they could start, a loud thud was heard from upstairs, silencing them. Kyouya opened his mouth to ask if anyone else was in the house, when Reese beat him to the punch and told them calmly, "It seems as though something has dropped. I'll go check on it. Why don't you all get started without me?"

The party went on without a hitch, everyone laughing and chatting. After an hour or so, Reese came back down, Kyouya asking nonchalantly, "What exactly took so long?"

"I suggest you don't stick your nose in other people's business, it's quite annoying and a bad trait to have."

Tamaki, seeming to ignore their conversation, suggested, "Let's play a commoner card game!"

Reese's eyes instantly lightened up, Rose and Lilly groaning. "May I suggest poker…?"

"Of course!"

Lilly moaned, "Now you've done it."

Blinking owlishly, Tamaki asked her, "Done what?"

"You've unleashed the monster," Rose explained, looking more than a little unenthusiastic.

Reese smirked, purring, "Oh, don't mind them. Why don't we just start?"

* * *

"Ha! A pair of queens!"

The group at the table, which consisted of Tamaki, the twins, Kyouya, and Reese, watched Tamaki bemusedly as he showed his hand triumphantly.

Hikaru and Kaoru grinned impishly, revealing their hand and countering, "Pair of aces."

"What? No fair! You two were playing together, and you obviously cheated!"

"It's not cheating if you can't catch us!"

"I hate to interrupt," Kyouya intervened, calmly showing them his own cards, "But I do have a Flush."

The others slightly gaped, save Rose, Lilly, and Reese. The blond purred, "I still haven't revealed my hand." She smoothly laid out her cards, the entire room stunned except for her cousins. "Read it and weep, boys. Royal Flush."

"No. Freaking. Way." Hikaru muttered in slight awe, "How the hell did you get that?"

"Cheating," Kyouya nonchalantly answered for her, acting unimpressed. No one had beaten him at cards before…

Reese told them coyly, "I suppose you will never know. Now then, I believe it's time to collect my winnings." With that, she reached to the center of the table, where a pile of candy and spare change sat, smirking at her opponents.

"Wow," Hunny cooed, "Reese, you're really good!"

"Mhmm."

Haruhi turned to Lilly and Rose as the group playing cards began to search for any hiding spot Reese had used to stash cards, asking, "How did she learn to play so well? I don't think I've ever seen anyone beat Kyouya."

"Her mom taught her," Lilly explained. "They played all the time. The two were really close."

Blinking, Haruhi repeated, "Were?"

"Oh, right, we didn't tell you. Reese's mom was mur-..._passed away_ when we were younger. She just lives with her dad now," Rose explained nonchalantly, watching as Hunny and Mori, who had decided to sit out of the game, were now joining in the search.

Haruhi watched Reese smirk, unwrapping a chocolate and popping it into her mouth. She cocked her head to the side, the twins and Tamaki repeatedly stating that she must've cheated somehow, and watched as Reese simply told them that they were sore losers. She certainly was unique…

Seeing as the party was now on the verge of becoming an all-out search for the mysterious answer as to how Reese won, Lilly quickly suggested, "How 'bout we open presents and call it a day?"

"Open presents?" Hikaru repeated, snorting, "What are we? Six?"

Rose shrugged, smirking as she teased, "Oh, so you _don't_ want any gifts?"

"…Fine…"

Gathering around at the table, most of the presents consisted of foods, cards, and novelties. After all, what were you supposed to get spoiled twins who had _everything_?

Rose and Lilly shoved their presents forward at the same time, exclaiming, "Ours' next!"

Opening the corresponding packages, Hikaru and Kaoru found a camcorder, blue for Hikaru and orange for Kaoru, along with a set of what looked like tiny, black buttons, a small lens on each of them. Grinning, they cackled, "Hidden cameras, perfect…" Tamaki visibly shuddered.

"Courtesy of Reese's dad," Lilly added, looking over to the said girl.

Reese smiled, handing the twins each a phone charm still in its package with a bow on it, explaining, "Yes, well, my own gift isn't nearly as impressive. I'm afraid what with the move I haven't been able to get you something more grand. However, I do think I did fine for a last-minute gift."

Hikaru and Kaoru laughed a bit at the Siamese cat phone charms with stylish little scarves around their necks. "Thanks," they chimed, taking out their mobiles and attaching them.

She smiled. "Perfect."

"So Reese," Kyouya asked her, the others going over the twins' gifts and laughing, "You'll be in my class at Ouran this year?" It was more of a statement than a question, really.

"And the sky is blue and the grass is green. Now why don't we abandon all this talk of school and just enjoy the summer? There's still so much I want to see here in Japan!"

Not one to give up his point so easily, Kyouya continued, "Well, I was simply wondering what your father does for a living. I am somehow unable to find out in your student records, and I am curious to know as to how he can get his hands on such technology as those spy cameras."

Reese grinned almost knowingly, and stood up from the table, the others beginning to leave as well, Kyouya following. He followed the rest out to the foyer, and watched as they left, waving and smiling. Before he could turn to Reese and ask her again, she went up on her tiptoes, whispering into his ear, "I'm afraid that that information, along with my secret of how I beat you at cards, is going to remain classified."

With that, she nudged him out the door, and when he turned back to take a final look, she was waving with the two sets of twins, smiling. Kyouya knew this was her Poker Face, since she had worn that same small smile with a hint of a smirk underneath it the entire game. She was hiding something. He would have to find out.

Hikaru watched as the last of the guests disappeared, looping his arms around Rose's waist and purring in her ear, "Now that we're alone…"

"I'm afraid not, children." Jumping at least a foot in his skin, Hikaru looked over to Reese, who was still in the doorway, explaining as she began to walk towards the stairs, waving her hand as if swatting at flies, "So long as I don't have to give you an awkward parental talk, do as you please."

Her cheeks now burning bright red, Rose snapped, "Reese! Don't be dumb!"

"I'm not being idiotic; I'm being realistic. Now excuse me while I crash on my bed as the jet lag catches up to me."

Once she was gone, Lilly and Kaoru laughed at the blushing pair, Kaoru suggesting that they just go out for a movie at the commoner's cinema, Rose and Hikaru grumbling. "Oh, and," Kaoru added, as they slid into a limo, "Do try to watch the movie, and not something else." He waggled his eyebrows, Lilly bursting out in another fit of laughter; Hikaru snapping at his twin to shut up while Rose kept on blushing.

Oh, what a year this would be.

* * *

"So, who sent you?"

"…"

"Silence? You think you can intimidate me?"

"…I…I don't know how you beat me…"

"That's irrelevant. Who sent you?"

"…"

"Still not talking? Fine. Why are you here?"

"My mission will never be found out. You will never know my purpose."

A smirk. "Oh, but I already do."

* * *

**La-la-la-laziness! That and the "oh-so-original" excuse of writer's block has kept me from posting this sooner. I don't know, I seem to be losing drive for this series...I guess I've kind of matured (as if), or something. I'll keep at it, though, because I don't want to give up just yet.**

**Ohohoho, it seems I have left you hanging with that last little bit. What was that all about? I'm not tell~ing!**

**So sorry for the people who groaned at having to read the first part of the chapter consisting of nothing but text messages. So...much...empty space! I had to keep copy and pasting the format, too...All in all, I guess it wasn't quite worth it. Still, I'm fairly pleased with this chapter over all.  
**

**Read and enjoy!  
**


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